Improvement in molds for casting projectiles



HEZEKIAH CONANT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. l

IMPROVEMENTT EN lVlOLDS FOR CASTING PROJECTILES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2,255, dated January16, 1855.

ih all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HEZEKIAH CONANT, of,

Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new and use- `ful Machine for Casting Slugs or Balls of Leador other Suitable Metal; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of said description.

rIhe machine consists ot' a wheel, D, (see- Figure 1,) made of iron orbrass or other suitable material, in the periphery of which the moldsare neatly cut in regular 'order and at equal distances from each other,and in as close proximity as the nature of the metal of which it iscomposed will allow, as experience shall show. A band, B B, made ot'similar material, and suitable in thickness, having its interior surfaceperlectly plain and smooth, is tted around it, but not perl'ectlyair-tight, and made stationary by being irml y screwed lo the top ofthetwo columns C C, and having a portion removed to allow the escape of thesl ug, as shown at E, when the mold is inverted. Motion is communicatedto the wheel D by a toothed wheel or gear'O, situated upon the sameshaft, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) which is operated upon by a worm or endlessscrew, X, that being lturned by a crank or pulley and band at F, thebearings heilig properly adjusted and well fitted; also, the thread et'the worm itted well in these parts, through which it moves. The machineis l'ed from a large ladle, G, Fig. 3, by tube A, of iron, furnishedwith a stop-cock, K, which is opened and closed by a wrench at L abovethe plate supporting the ladle. At the lower end of the tube, at A, isinserted a plug, so that in ease of accident the lead may not be allowedto cool in the tube, but can be readily drawn off.

To operate the machine, the required quantity of lead vor metal to becast is placed in G, which is subjected to the heat of lire upon thegrates until it is completely fused. The machine being set in motion,then the stop-cock K is turned. The molten lead enters the Inachine,readily filling each mold as soon as presented, the air either escapingbythe small crevice beneath the bandl or up through the tube into theladle, the tube being ofample size forthat purpose.

Fig. l shows aI section of part ofthe molds in process of filling. Thewheel D turns as the arrow indicates, and the slugs readily fall out atE. Whena suiiicient number are cast, and it is desirable to stop themachine, the cool; K should be closed first, and when the lead below Khas passed out then the machine may be stopped. In this manner anunlimited supply ot' balls or slugs of limited variety of shape, mostlyconical, may be furnished in a short time, from one to two hnndred'perminute, on a single machine with wheel fifteen inches in diametercontaining seventy-five molds.

Vthat I claim as my in vention and desire to secu re by Letters Patent,is-

rlhe arrangement of molds in the periphery f of a wheel, combined with astationary band,

which also forms part of each mold, the whole operating as abovedescribed.

Signed in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

f HEZEKIAH CONANT. Vitnesses:

ABIJAH Gamin, JonN C. PALMER.

